Jamel McLean takes it strong to the cup. AP Photo/Al Behrman

By Paul Casey Gotham

Setting: Batten down the hatches as Jeff Bzdelik brings his Wake Forest Demon Deacons (6-4) north to the Cintas Center for a tilt with Chris Mack and his Xavier Musketeers (7-2).

Plot: Atlantic Coast Conference meets Atlantic 10 in the second annual Skip Prosser Classic. The late Prosser coached  both programs.

After starting 2-3, Wake Forest has taken four of five, but Bzdelik crew needs consistency. The Deacs have wins over Iowa, Hampton, and most recently, UNC-Greensboro. Losses to UNC-Wilmington and Stetson are cause for concern.

Fans of the Muskies should not be surprised by the team’s two defeats. Xavier had three losses this time a year ago.

Sub-plot: Wake Forest freshman, Melvin Tabb, was recently re-instated to the lineup after taking time to address academic concerns.  After sitting out a year due to his transfer from Georgetown, Nikita Mescheriakov made his debut two games ago for the Deacs. The red-shirt junior came off the bench and scored seven points with four rebounds.

The Muskies continue to evolve after the graduation of Jason Love and departure of Jordan Crawford.

Xavier has Gonzaga, Florida, and Cincinnati in the near future. Wake tussles with Gonzaga and Richmond in the next two weeks.

Flashback: “Call me” Ishmael Smith scored a career-high 28 points, and Al-Farouq Aminu added 26 with 17 rebounds as the Demon Deacons took a double-overtime thriller a year ago, 96-92 at the Joel Coliseum.  Saturday’s night’s meeting is the third between the inter-conference rivals with each school taking one. The Muskies downed the Deacs in the second round of the 1999 NIT Tournament, 87-76.

Wake Forest has punched 22 tickets to the NCAA tournament including an appearance in the 1962 National Semi-finals and Elite Eight showings in ’39, ’61, ’77, ’84 and ’96. Seven different coaches have led the Musketeers to 21 NCAA tournament appearances including Eight Eight showings in ’04 and ’08.

Foreshadowing: Twenty-seven Deacs have moved on to careers in the National Basketball Association including currently Al-Farouq Aminu, Tim Duncan, Josh Howard, James Johnson, Chris Paul, Darius Songaila and Jeff Teague. Seventeen Musketeers have suited up in the National Basketball Association including current stars Derrick Brown, Jordan Crawford, James Posey and David West.

Conflict: Wake Forest averages 74 ppg while allowing 73.  Freshman, Travis McKie leads a quintet of Deacs in double figures with more than 13 and a half points. Ari Stewart and J.T. Terrell also chip in 13 apiece. Gary Clark adds 11.8 and C.J. Harris gets 10.8.

Clark has hit 20-30 from behind the arc. Stewart and Terrell have hit 17 and 18 from long range.

Xavier is 4-1 when holding opponents under 70. The Muskies score 69.2 and give up 67.1. Last time out, the X-Men showed they can go toe-to-toe in a defensive battle beating national runner-up Butler, 51-49. But the targets were easy to find – Shelvin Mack from the perimeter, stop the dribble of Ronald Nored and take away Matt Howard. Wake has a variety of weapons.

Can Xavier make this a half-court game?

Xavier has struggled against the 2-3 zone. Will Wake go away from man-to-man?

The good news for Xavier fans is that Tu Holloway leads the team with 22.3 ppg. The bad news for Xavier fans is that Tu Holloway leads the team with 22.3 ppg.

The Musketeers have struggled to establish an offensive identity. Besides Love and Crawford, Xavier lost 3pt. specialist Brad Redford for the season with an injured knee. Senior forward, Jamel McLean then broke a bone in his eye socket. McLean is playing with protective goggles but is not 100 percent. Redford’s loss creates spacing problems. His absence is noticed most when the Musketeers lack a player capable of knocking down a 3 in transition.

Holloway is Xavier’s best three-point threat. The junior point guard needs a teammate to open the floor.

Mark Lyons might be the candidate. The red-shirt sophomore, though, has only hit 10-35 from long range.  He is averaging 16.5 over the last four contests. Lyons is also handing out 3.5 apg.

McLean averages 10.4 ppg and 9.9 rpg. The senior is difficult to keep away from the offensive glass leading with 23 offensive boards.

Kenny Frease can provide a spark. The junior recorded a double-double (12p/10r)in the win over Butler. He averages 10.6 ppg and 7.9rpg. He has developed an effective jump hook, but his conditioning (or lack thereof) is a problem late in games.

Dante Jackson gets 7.5ppg and 2.9rpg. The senior is the team’s best all-around defender.

Jeff Robinson has shown flashes of brilliance.

Resolution: Both teams enter play with a rebound margin of just +1. Xavier has established that stat against a tougher schedule. Wake has been hitting from the field at a rate of 46 percent. Xavier will trim that number with a stiff defensive performance. The Deacs will struggle to keep Xavier off the glass in particular McLean. The senior forward has shown a tendency to rise to the occasion. Saturday’s game will be no different. McLean will record his fourth double-double of the season, and the Muskies will win a close one.

By Paul Gotham

Thursday night’s west regional semi-final at Energy Solutions Arena lacked the sex appeal offered by so many of the games in this year’s NCAA Tournament.

Fans looking for magnetic story lines about a shepherd boy and a Philistine giant need not bother. The game offered not a one or a double digit seed.

Instead, Frank Martin’s Kansas State Wildcats and Chris Mack’s Xavier Musketeers carried the common tags of two and six seed – not much cause for excitement amongst casual fans.

Outside Cincinnati and Kansas City, CBS relegated the game to the occasional glimpses decided upon by a  producer.  Fans outside those regions relied upon a live stream online.

The match offered no catchy personalities. Fans can search both rosters. There is not much hype to be found. Kansas State has Jacob Pullen. He inspires denizens of the Fred Bramlage Coliseum to wear mock beards. Xavier’s Jordan Crawford created a stir last summer when he posterized a king.

Other than that, bracket aficionados could dismiss this game as another line on their sheet.

What the game lacked in allure, it made up for with substance.

Pressuring the ball, contesting every shot, and pounding the glass K-State sprinted to an early lead. Wally Judge tapped in a Jamar Samuels miss, and the Wildcats led by 15 after eight minutes of play.

Then, almost as consequence of their aggressiveness, the Wildcats’ lead dwindled. Fouls mounted as the Musketeers got up from the canvas and took a one-point lead at half-time.

Kansas State found their second wind during half time.

Denis Clemente’s layup less than 20 seconds into the second stanza marked the first of seven lead changes over the twenty minute span. K-State stretched their lead to seven with less than nine minutes remaining.

Xavier fought back and reclaimed the lead on Crawford’s three pointer with 2:20 to go.

Free throws by by Pullen and Curtis Kelly along with a three pointer from Pullen gave the Wildcats a three-point in the final minute.

Xavier was not to be denied.

With time winding down, Terrell Holloway came off a high-ball screen set by Crawford. The play gave Crawford a chance to roll into space for a game-tying three. Instead, Pullen followed the Xavier shooting guard, and his teammate, Chris Merriewether reached to stop Holloway. It did not matter that the Xavier point guard was 25 feet from the basket. As soon as the contact was made, Holloway went into his shooting motion. Xavier’s point guard followed one of the game’s oldest rules of thumb: if you have the ball and get fouled, take a shot. The sophomore calmly sank three free throws to send the game into overtime.

The dizzying pace continued in the extra round.

Xavier scored first. Holloway found Crawford on an alley-oop.

K-State responded. Kelly hit an open jumper from the free throw line. A minute later, he converted two from the charity stripe. The Wildcats maintained the lead for the next three minutes.

Xavier, though, had more dramatics in them.

Down three, Crawford caught the ball at the top of the key and dribbled to the right side of the floor. K-State’s defense gave him nothing, so he took it – a thirty foot jumper that hit nothing but net. The Wildcats played their best defense, and Xavier was just better.

The flurry continued from there as the combatants traded leads in the second overtime.

Pullen’s second consecutive trifecta gave K-State a three-point lead with 35 ticks in the game. Pullen executed a perfect L-cut. Clemente handled the ball on the opposite foul line extended, Pullen cut to free throw line before stepping back on the perimeter. With the ball in flight, Pullen nimbly set his feet in perfect timing with ball’s arrival – step, catch, step, lift, and release. It was a polished move created by hours of practice.

Xavier got its chance to tie, but an open look rimmed out. Kansas State secured the rebound and converted free throws to win.

Martin and Mack met at mid court. The words they exchanged were inaudible. It does not matter. Their body language said it all. The two coaches knew the importance of what they just accomplished. Their teams played the game to its fullest.

Dr. James Naismith gets credit for creating the game. A physical education teacher in Massachusetts, he was given the task of creating an indoor game to help students cope with the long winters. What at first was a simple activity designed to help students make productive use of their time became more than that. Naismith, a minister, saw the game as an opportunity for spiritual growth. Human beings bonded by a common interest and growing through competition. Opponents giving their best, and, as a result, everyone improving together.

The game has changed a little since Naismith’s introduction. Iron rims and nets replaced peach baskets. A shot clock dictates flow. Tattoos have become commonplace. But the game can still have the same impact. Thursday night, the Xavier Musketeers and Kansas State played the game the way it was intended.

By Paul Gotham

Setting: Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City is the site for the West Regional semi-final tilt between Chris Mack’s No. 6 seed Xavier Musketeers (26-8) and Frank Martin’s No. 2 seed Kansas State Wildcats (28-7).

Plot: Atlantic 10 clashes with the Big 12 for a spot in Saturday’s regional final.

Sub-plot: Revenge is in the air. K-State thumped Xavier, 71-56, back on December 8th.

Flashback: Xavier holds a 4-3 advantage in a series that dates back to 1961. Jacob Pullen dropped 16 and Curtis Kelly added 14 when the foes met at the Fred Bramlage Coliseum earlier in the ledger. Tyrone Hill, Derek Strong, and Aaron Williams led the Muskies as they topped K-State 87-79 in the first round of the 1990 tournament.

Xavier has earned 21 NCAA Tournament berths, including last year’s Sweet Sixteen run and Elite Eight showings in 2008 and 2004. K-State punched their 24th dance ticket this year. With a victory over BYU, the Wildcats advanced to the Sweet 16 for the 17th time in school history.

Foreshadowing: Sixteen Musketeers have played in the Association, including current stars Derrick Brown, James Posey, and David West. Twenty-one Wildcats have earned paychecks in the NBA. Current stars include Michael Beasley, Cartier Martin, and Bill Walker.

Conflict: K-State’s 1,055 trips to the free throw line ranks number one in the nation. It’s no coincidence that their lightning-fast guards, Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente lead the way with 447 and 485 respectively. Nobody on the rest of the roster comes within 200 free throw attempts. Xavier averages nearly 19 fouls per game.

Against BYU, Pullen and Clemente combined to hit all 13 of their free throws. The tandem also hit 10 of 21 shots from behind the arc. The strategy is nothing new. The Wildcats want to stretch the floor and drive into open spaces. Xavier’s guards will need to keep Pullen and Clemente in check.

Usually, Dante Jackson draws the assignment of defending a player bigger than himself. Thursday, Jackson will need to keep up with Pullen and get a hand in his face.

Martin goes 10 deep on his bench. Eight Musketeers play 16 minutes or more with Andrew Taylor playing just under 10 minutes.

Jamar Samuels and Curtis Kelly do the damage inside for the Wildcats. The two contribute 22 points and 11 rebounds.

Both teams hold a +5 in rebounding margin.

Jordan Crawford leads the Muskies with 20 points. He adds almost five rebounds and three assists. The shooting guard leads the X-Men with 76 from behind the arc and hits 40 percent from long range. Crawford mixes his game well for a deadly combination. He can hit from 20 feet and go off the dribble depending upon the situation.

Terrell Holloway has ignited the Xavier offense all season. The sophomore point guard maintains a 2:1 assist to turnover ratio. Holloway finishes 85 percent of his free throws.

Jason Love is nothing short of dominant in the paint. When on, the senior’s jump hook can be indefensible. Love scores 11.8 and grabs 8.5 boards.

Jamel McLean averages eight points and seven rebounds. The junior plays his best against the best. McLean has four double-doubles this season, including performances at Wake Forest and Charlotte. McLean has six double-digit rebounding nights and eight double-digit scoring games.

Dante Jackson rounds out the starting five for Xavier. The junior scores six and grabs three rebounds. Jackson draws the toughest defensive assignment.

Kenny Frease, Mark Lyons, and Brad Redford log valuable minutes off the bench.

Resolution: K-State got the better of Xavier earlier this season. That was then. This is now, and this game is on neutral court. The Wildcats out-rebounded Xavier 39-30 in the win. McLean played 17 minutes and Taylor logged four.  That game came during a time when McLean needed to re-focus. McLean grabbed 14 boards in the opening round win against Minnesota. Pittsburgh tried to neutralize the junior’s impact, but that cleared the way for Love who scored 14 and grabbed eight boards in Sunday’s win. Taylor does not post the numbers, but his presence has paid dividends over the last month. Xavier’s guards will contain Pullen and Clemente. The Musketeers punch a ticket to the Elite Eight.

Got any comments on the game? Post them here.

AP Photo/Al Behrman

By Paul Gotham

Setting: Atlantic 10 heavyweights collide when Chris Mooney brings his No.23 Richmond Spiders (22-6 / 11-2) to the Cintas Center to face Chris Mack’s Xavier Musketeers (20-7/ 11-2).

Plot: A piece of first place is at stake. The Spiders and Musketeers sit atop the A 10 with the Temple Owls.

Sub-plot: Richmond is undefeated in the month of February and brings an eight-game winning streak into the contest. The Spiders have been ranked back-to-back weeks for the first time since the 1957-58 season. Xavier has won their last four and finishes February with only their second home game of the month.

Xavier is undefeated at home this season.

The A 10 has 18 victories over BCS schools. Nine different teams have posted non-conference triumphs over the BCS conferences. Temple leads the way with four victories. Richmond, Rhode Island, and Xavier each have three.

Flashback: Richmond and Xavier closed the regular season a year ago. Kevin Anderson scored 29, Justin Harper Harper chipped 20 off the bench as the Spiders took an 80-75 decision.

Xavier leads the series 10-3.

Xavier has earned 20 NCAA Tournament berths, including last year’s Sweet Sixteen run and Elite Eight showings in 2008 and 2004. Richmond has been invited to the Dance seven times, including most recently in 2004.

Foreshadowing: Two Spiders have laced them up in the National Basketball Association: Johnny Newman and John Schweitz.  Sixteen Musketeers have played in the Association, including current stars Derrick Brown, James Posey , and David West.

Conflict: In five seasons under Mooney, Richmond has allowed 70 or more points just 37 times. The Spiders rank in top 20 nationally in field goal percentage defense (38.7), scoring defense (60.2), and 3-pt. percentage defense (28.6).  Richmond is also 14th in the nation with a turnover margin of 4.4. The Spiders play a stingy match-up zone that confuses opponents and limits open opportunities.

Xavier averages over 79 points per game. The Muskies have only lost twice this season when hitting the magic mark of 70. One of those defeats came in double overtime at Wake Forest. The Muskies have a rebound margin of +4.7 while the Spiders struggle at -4.6.

Kevin Anderson leads three Spiders in double figures. The junior point guard scores 17.5 while handing out 2.7 assists. Anderson is joined in the back court by senior, David Gonzalvez. The senior scores 13.6 a game and leads the Spiders with 56 threes.

Justin Harper leads the Spiders with 5.8 rebounds. The junior adds 10 points a game.

Ryan Butler and Darrius Garrett combine for 10 points and six and  a half rebounds.

Dan Geriot provides valuable minutes off the bench for the Spiders. The junior scores seven and grabs four boards.

Jordan Crawford leads the Muskies with 20 points. He adds almost five rebounds and three assists. The shooting guard leads the X-Men with 60 from behind the arc and hits 40 percent from long range. Crawford mixes his game well for a deadly combination. He can hit from 20 feet and go off the dribble depending upon the situation.

Terrell Holloway has ignited the Xavier offense all season. The sophomore point guard maintains a 2.2:1 assist to turnover ratio. Holloway finishes 84 percent of his free throws.

Jason Love is nothing short of dominant in the paint. When on, the senior’s jump hook can be indefensible. Love scores 11.8 and grabs 8.4 boards.

Jamel McLean averages eight points and seven rebounds. The junior plays his best against the best. McLean has four double-doubles this season, including performances at Wake Forest and Charlotte. McLean has six double-digit rebounding nights and eight double-digit scoring games.

Dante Jackson rounds out the starting five for Xavier. The junior scores six and grabs three rebounds. Jackson draws the toughest defensive assignment.

Kenny Frease and Mark Lyons log valuable minutes off the bench. Brad Redford has been hobbled of late with a bad hip.

Resolution: Richmond will try to slow down this game. The Spiders want to keep the Musketeers in the 60s. This will only work if Richmond can stymie Xavier in transition. Mooney’s club already struggles on the glass. Can they afford to give up offensive rebounding chances to stop Xavier from getting easy buckets?

Xavier has too many ways to score. The Muskies will win the battle of the boards and in particular on the offensive glass. Love, McLean, and Frease will lead the way as Xavier takes a close one.

Got any comments on the game? Post them here.

By Paul Gotham

Setting: It’s Atlantic 10 action at the Cintas Center, Wednesday night when Phil Martelli brings his St. Joe’s Hawks (9-16/ 3-8) to Cincinnati for a showdown with Chris Mack and his Xavier Musketeers (17-7/ 8-2).

Plot: The Hawks will be playing with a sense of urgency. A win over the Musketeers could make up for an otherwise disappointing season.

Sub-plot: Tomorrow night’s game is Xavier’s first home tilt in the month of February. The Muskies head back out on the road for two more games before finishing the month at Cintas against Richmond. St. Joe’s has yet to win a conference road game this season. The match-up is part of the Jesuit Basketball Spotlight project using basketball to promote Jesuit education.

Flashback: B.J. Raymond and Derrick Brown scored 18 a piece last year as the Muskies won at the Palestra, 68-54. St. Joe’s leads the all-time series 21-16.

Xavier has earned 20 NCAA Tournament berths, including last year’s Sweet Sixteen run and Elite Eight showings in 2008 and 2004. St. Joe’s has made 19 appearances (five under Martelli) in The Dance. The Hawks advanced to the Elite Eight in 2004.

Foreshadowing: Sixteen Musketeers have played in the Association, including current stars Derrick Brown, James Posey , and David West. Eighteen Hawks have laced them up in the N.B.A., including Jameer Nelson and Delonte West.

Conflict: Anything can happen in conference play. The Hawks will look for this to favor them while the Musketeers will do what they can to avoid a pitfall.

Xavier averages 79 points per game while St. Joe’s drops 69. The Musketeers limit opponents to less than 69 points per game. Xavier grabs 38.7 rebounds per game to St. Joe’s 32.9.

Xavier is accustomed to playing a faster-paced game than St. Joe’s. The Muskies will need to guard against getting careless.

Darrin Govens leads three Hawks in double figures with 13.2.  The senior guard leads the Hawks with 54 three pointers on the season. Govens has 18 double digit games, including a 21-point performance against Fordham where he hit five of seven from behind the arc.

St. Joe’s starts three guards. Justin Crosgile and Garrett Williamson combine for almost 19 per game.

Todd O’Brien leads the Hawks with 6.4 rebounds. The sophomore had a double-double in a loss to St. Louis last week.

Idris Hilliard rounds out the starting five. The junior forward scores 10 points and grabs 5.8 boards.

Jordan Crawford leads the Muskies with 19.6 points. The sophomore transfer hit 40 percent of his shots from behind the arc. Crawford forced too much earlier in the year, but the Detroit native has let the game come to him of late. He is averaging almost three assists per game.

Terrell Holloway gets the Xavier offense moving. The sophomore point guard averages 11 points per game while maintaining an assist to turnover ratio of 2.1 : 1.

Jason Love finishes 59.8 percent of his shots. The senior center averages nearly a double-double with 11 points and 8.5 rebounds.

Jamel McLean has been coming on over the last month. The junior started slowly. He has had double-digit rebounding performances in two of the last three Musketeer games.

Dante Jackson does whatever is needed for his team to win. The junior small forward is capable of defending smaller guards or bigger post players. Jackson can also fill it up. Against Dayton, the Greenfield, Ohio native went five of eight from long range hitting a career-high 19 points.

Resolution: St. Joe’s does not have an answer to the Xavier bench. Brad Redford leads the Muskies with a three-point percentage of 43.9. Holloway is adept at finding Redford open in transition for the trifecta. Kenny Frease chips in six points and nearly five rebounds. Mark Lyons adds 7.6 points and relentless pressure on the perimeter.

Xavier can only beat themselves tomorrow night. The Muskies will need to show the ability to get prepared emotionally for what should be a win. This could be challenging coming off a big victory at Florida over the weekend.

St. Joe’s will keep it close in the first half.  McLean will have a career night as the Muskies win by double digits.

Got any comments on the game? Post them here.

By Paul Gotham

Setting: Atlantic 10 meets the Southeastern Conference at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Florida when Chris Mack and his Xavier Musketeers (16-7/ 8-2) pay a visit to Billy Donovan and the Florida Gators (17-7/ 6-4).

Plot: Jockeying for an at-large bid is always a concern this time of year. The Gators face an uphill battle in the upcoming SEC conference tournament with the possibility of facing  Kentucky, Vanderbilt, and Tennessee. Xavier’s plight is not easier. The A-10 has been ranked as high as fifth by the RPI.

Sub-plot: Both schools play their final non-conference game of the regular season.

Flashback: Xavier and Florida have only tangled once in their history. The Musketeers downed the Gators 86-74 in the 1959 Hurricane Classic.

Under Billy Donovan, the Gators have made nine appearances in the NCAA Tournament including back-to-back National Titles in 2006-2007. The Gators have earned 14 berths in The Dance, but have not been in the field of 65 since the winning the championship.

Florida has lost their last two contests versus the A-10. Earlier this season, Richmond downed Florida 56-53. UMass topped the Gators last season 78-66.

Xavier has danced on 20 occasions in school history. The Muskies have made two Elite Eight and one Sweet Sixteen appearance in the last six seasons.

Xavier is 1-0 this season against the SEC, beating LSU 89-65.

Foreshadowing:  Twenty former Gators have made rosters in the Association. Current players include Matt Bonner, Corey Brewer, Udonis Haslem, Al Horford, David Lee, Mike Miller, Joakim Noah, Marreese Speights and Jason Williams.  Sixteen Musketeers have played in the Association, including current stars Derrick Brown, James Posey , and David West.

Conflict: Xavier is 21st in the country with 79 points a game. The Muskies hit 46 percent of their shots, including 39.4 percent from behind the three-point arc. Florida limits opponents to 31 percent from long range and 63 points.

Kenny Boynton and Erving Walker drive the Florida engine. The back court tandem goes for 27 points and eight assists per outing.  The freshman and sophomore have hit a combined 100 three pointers on the season. But their biggest contribution tonight will be slowing the Xavier perimeter game.

Florida’s front court is imposing in stature. Alex Tyus (6’9″), Chandler Parsons (6’9″), and Vernon Macklin (6’10″) haul in 19 boards per outing and have led the Gators to a 3.3 rebound margin.

Jordan Crawford leads three Musketeers in double figures. The sophomore transfer has put behind his questionable shot selection of earlier this year to lead the X-Men. Crawford scores 19 a game hitting 41 percent from long range. The shooting guard has adjusted well to opposing defenses, averaging just under three assists.

Make no mistake though, Terrell Holloway gets it going for Xavier. The sophomore point guard has an assist to turnover ratio of 2.2:1. Holloway makes it difficult for opponents to make up late deficits hitting 86 percent (100-116) from the free throw line.

Jason Love averages 11 points and 8.4 rebounds. The senior center uses a jump hook that is nearly indefensible. Love hits 58.6 percent of his shots.

Jamel McLean and Dante Jackson round out the starting five.

McLean is an instinctive ball getter. He is listed at 6’8″, but plays much bigger because of his agility. Florida will have their hands full trying to keep McLean from his nearly seven rebounds a game.

Jackson only averages six points, but the small forward is capable of exploding. Jackson hit five of eight from behind the arc against Dayton.

Resolution: Florida will find it difficult to keep up with Xavier’s bench. Mack uses a nine-man rotation with Kenny Frease, Mark Lyons, Brad Redford, and Andrew Taylor all seeing significant minutes.

Redford leads the Muskies hitting 44 percent from long range. Holloway has become proficient in finding Redford open in transition for the trifecta. Florida will need to gather themselves quickly to hold down Redford.

Frease averages just under six points and slightly less than five rebounds. The sophomore has four double-digit point outings and three performances of ten or more rebounds.

Last time out, Xavier was hammered by Dayton. The Muskies are itching to play, and the Gators will be recipients of ‘misplaced’ aggression. Xavier makes it 2-0 versus the SEC.

By Paul Gotham

Setting: The Blackburn / McCafferty Trophy is on the line at the University of Dayton Arena  when Chris Mack takes his Xavier Musketeers (16-6 / 8-1) north on I-75 for a tilt with Brian Gregory and his Dayton Flyers (15-6/ 4-3) . The Trophy honors former Dayton coach Tom Blackburn (1947-64) and Xavier coach and athletic director, Jim McCafferty (1957-63).

Plot: There will be a plenty of energy on campus and plenty more on the court. Ten Flyers play 12 minutes or more per game. Eight Musketeers log at least 16 minutes per contest. Coaches Mack and Gregory take pride in their benches.

Sub-plot: Xavier sits atop the A-10 standings with Charlotte and Temple at 7-1 ready to pounce on the next chance. With four conference wins and three losses, Dayton is in the sixth place.

Xavier brings a four-game win streak into Saturday’s match-up. The X-Men are in the middle of three consecutive road games. Dayton beat St. Bonaventure the last time out, but the Flyers have split their last six games.

Flashback: Dante Jackson had a career-high 19 points. Jordan Crawford and Terrell Holloway contributed 15 and 16 a piece as the Muskies beat UD on January 16th, 78-74. Dayton leads the series 81-62. Xavier has taken eight of the last nine meetings.

Xavier has earned 20 NCAA Tournament berths, including last year’s Sweet Sixteen run and Elite Eight showings in 2008 and 2004. Dayton’s resume includes 14 appearances in ‘The Dance.’ Brian Gregory took the Flyers to the tourney last year and in 2004.

Foreshadowing: Sixteen Flyers have gone on to enjoy careers in the NBA, including Jim Paxson Jr. and Johnny Davis.  Sixteen Musketeers have played in the Association, including current stars Derrick Brown, James Posey , and David West.

Conflict: Xavier ranks twentieth in the nation scoring 80 points per game. Dayton holds opponents to 62 points. The Flyers have out-rebounded opponents by 9.9 over the last eight games. Dayton is 13-3 when winning the war on the boards. Xavier’s rebound margin is 3.7.

Xavier’s attack begins with Terrell Holloway. The sophomore point guard has an assist to turnover ratio of 2.4:1 while putting 11 points per game. Holloway hit 85.6 percent from the free throw line.

Jordan Crawford leads the way with 19.5 points. The sophomore transfer adds 4.8 rebounds and hits 41.2 percent from behind the arc.

Inside, Jason Love and Jamel McLean make it happen. Love grabs 8.5 rebounds to go with 11.1 points. The senior’s best weapon is his jump hook. When on, the shot is nearly indefensible.

McLean logged a double-double last time out against UMass. The junior scored 14 and grabbed 11 boards as the X-Men to a 87-79 road win. McLean is a ball-getter. Opponents need to keep track of him at all times when the ball goes in the air.

Dante Jackson hits 43.4 percent from behind the arc. Jackson hit five of eight from long range last time out against the Flyers.

Brad Redford, Mark Lyons, and Kenny Frease log valuable minutes off the bench. The trio contributes 20 points and eight rebounds. Redford is deadly from long range hitting with 45.2 percent accuracy. Lyons has become a defensive stopper on the perimeter, and Frease provides valuable minutes in the paint.

Chris Wright leads the Flyers. The Wooden Award candidate heads a balanced attack with 14 points and seven rebounds. Wright can score from the inside and from the outside. McLean and Jackson will have their hands full trying to slow down the junior.

Chris Johnson is capable of exploding. The sophomore had 26 points and 20 rebounds against Duquesne last month. The 6’6″ forward averages 12 points and 7.6 rebounds.

Rob Lowery and London Warren are Dayton’s two-headed point guard monster. The duo nearly split time (Lowery 18.9 minutes, Warren 20.4) for the Flyers. The pair combine for two steals a game and an assist to turnover ratio of 1.8:1.

Paul Williams and Kurt Huelsman contribute nine points and five rebounds.

The Flyers attack is about depth and balance. Ten players log double digit minutes per game.

Marcus Johnson add eight points and three rebouns off the bench.

Resolution: Urgency reigns in the Flyer locker room. Pre-season polls pegged Dayton for back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournaments. And why not? The Flyers returned all their starters from last year’s club that beat West Virginia in the opening round of ‘The Dance.’ One year ago, the Flyers were 21-2. Dayton’s last four losses have been by a combined eight points. Last year, UD topped Xavier at home 71-58.

Chris Mack will use last year’s loss as motivation. Crawford has become a special player, and the Flyers will struggle to contain him. Earlier in the year, Crawford wasted numerous possession with ill-advised shots. The shooting guard has grown from the experience.

Dayton uses more players, but Xavier brings more talent. The Muskies drop the Flyers in a game decided in the final moments.

Got any comments on the game? Post them here.

By Paul Gotham

Setting: Atlantic 10 contenders crash at the Cintas Center when Jim Baron’s Rhode Island Rams (15-2/3-1) tangle with Chris Mack’s Xavier Musketeers (12-6/ 4-1).

Plot: Both schools trail Temple (4-0) for the conference lead. Saturday evening’s game is the only regular season meeting between the rivals.

Sub-plot: Rhode Island and Xavier rank 15th and 16th in the CBS RPI poll.  Rhode Island’s strength of schedule is rated 51st in the country. Xavier’s slate is ranked third.

The game is the first of three at home for the Musketeers.  Xavier touts a 26-game home winning streak in Atlantic 10 play. Temple holds the conference record of 34 wins between 1987-91.

Rhode Island plays at Dayton, Tuesday night.

Xavier lost their previous outing to Temple, 77-72. Rhode Island downed Duquesne, 75-67.

Flashback: Derrick Brown led four Muskies in double figures as Xavier overcame 22 turnovers to win at the Ryan Center, 67-65 a year ago. Xavier out-rebounded Rhode Island 42-34.

Xavier has made 20 appearances in the NCAA Tournament including two Elite Eights (’04 and ’08) and a Sweet Sixteen appearance last season. Rhode Island has earned eight berths in the Dance. The Rams advanced to the Elite Eight in 1998.

Foreshadowing:  Sixteen Musketeers have played in the NBA including current stars Derrick Brown, James Posey , and David West. Fourteen Rams have laced them up in the Association. Lamar Odom and Cuttino Mobley honed their skills in Kingston.

Conflict: Xavier is 11-2 when scoring 70 or more points. Rhode Island limits opponents to 70.5. The Rams will need to play the Muskies tight. Xavier hits 40.5 percent from behind the three-point arc. Rhode Island limits its opponents to 34.4 behind the line.

Xavier can score in bunches. In less than four minutes against Dayton the Musketeers hit three 3s to turn a four point deficit into a two-point lead. Rhode Island will need to avoid such a fate.

Nine Rams play 11 minutes or more per contest. Keith Cothran leads three in double figures with 16.6 points. The 6’4″ guard hits 34.4 percent from long range.

Lamonte Ulmer grabs just under eight rebounds per game. The 6’6″ senior grabbed 13 boards versus Duqesne and 14 against Fordham. Ulmer leads the Rams with a field goal percentage of 53.8.

Delroy James chips in 14 points and 5.6 rebounds. Akeem Richmond leads the way with 34 trifectas. The freshman leads the Rams with a 38.6 shooting percentage from behind the line.

If Rhode Island is to win this game, they will need to slow down the Musketeer attack.

Everything begins with Terrell Holloway. The sophomore point guard leads the A-10 in assist to turnover ratio at 2.4:1. In a win over Dayton, Holloway had two assist and zero turnovers. In a loss to Temple, the sophomore had four assists and two turnovers. Holloway averages 11 points per game.

Xavier’s transmission is shooting guard, Jordan Crawford. The sophomore transfer averages 19 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. Crawford’s biggest challenge is containing himself. While he has a low number of turnovers (39) in comparison to his number of touches, Crawford tends to force some shots. These can count as turnovers just as well.

Jason Love adds 10.9 points and 8.9 rebounds. He is joined in the front-court by Kenny Frease. The 7’0″ Frease adds 5.6 points and 4.9 boards.

Dante Jackson rounds out the starting five. Jackson is coming off a 19-point performance against Dayton where he hit five threes.

Resolution: Rhode Island can score with Xavier, but the Musketeer bench will wear down the Rams. Mark Lyons, Brad Redford and Jamel McLean all provide valuable minutes off the bench. Redford leads the A-10 in 3pt. percentage at 47.5. The sophomore is deadly in transition. McLean had double-double performances against Wake Forest and LSU.  Lyons is a defensive stopper on the perimeter, but the guard has also seven double-digit scoring games.

The big difference might come at the line. Rhode Island opponents have had 64.7 success rate from the line. Xavier hits 71.9 from the stripe. Holloway is 90 percent from the line. A late lead Xavier lead is difficult to erase when Holloway is on the floor.

Rhode Island will stay close, but Xavier’s experience and depth will prove to be the difference in a game decided by single digits.

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By Paul Gotham

Setting: The Joel Coliseum, on the campus of Wake Forest University, is the scene for the first annual Skip Prosser Classic as Chris Mack brings his Xavier Musketeers (8-4) south for an inter-conference battle with Dino Gaudio’s Wake Forest Demon Deacons (10-2).

Plot: The game is the last one before each team enters conference play. The Musketeers travel to Philadelphia, Thursday for a game with LaSalle. Wake Forest travels to Miami, Saturday. Both teams are un-ranked. The Demon Deacons received votes in the most recent polls.

Sub-plot: The game is the first of a ten-game series between the schools both coached by Skip Prosser. The late coach led the Muskies from 1994-2001. Prosser then coached the Deacs from 2001 until his death in 2007. Current Wake Forest head coach, Gaudio, and Xavier coach, Mack, served as assistants to Prosser from 2001-04.

Flashback: Xavier leads the all-time series 1-0. The Muskies downed the Deacs in the second round of the 1999 NIT Tournament, 87-76.  Xavier has made eight appearances in the NCAA Tournament over the last nine seasons including two Elite Eight finishes (’04 and ’08) and a spot in the Sweet Sixteen last season. Wake Forest has made 21 appearances in the tournament with one Final Four showing, seven occasions in the Elite Eight, and 10 Sweet Sixteen showings.

Foreshadowing: Wake Forest has sent 26 players to the NBA including current pros – Tim Duncan, Josh Howard, James Johnson, Chris Paul, Darius Songaila, and Jeff Teague.

Sixteen X-Men have graduated to the league. Derrick Brown, James Posey, and David West currently earn paychecks from NBA teams.

Conflict: Xavier is 8-0 when scoring 70 points or more. Wake Forest averages 76 points per game while holding opponents to 62. The Musketeers average 78 and hold rivals to 66.

Terrell Holloway has been the engine of Chris Mack’s train. The 6’0″ sophomore point guard averages 10 points and three assists per contest. Holloway plays his best against the toughest opponents. Holloway scored 20 and dished out six assists in an 89-65 victory over LSU. Versus Cincinnati, Holloway scored 26 with four assists.

Jason Love provides the brunt of Xavier’s interior offense. The senior scores 10 a game with nine boards. Kenny Frease got his first career start against LSU and responded with 12 rebounds. Jamel McLean had a double-double off the bench as the Muskies took a game from the SEC rival.

Jordan Crawford, Mark Lyons, Dante Jackson, and Brad Redford get it done on the perimeter. Xavier hits 41 percent from behind the three-point arc. Crawford leads the way with 18 a game. Redford and Crawford share the team lead with 24 trifectas. Redford is 50 percent from long range. Jackson and Lyons combine for 14 points per contest.

Xavier’s long-range proficiency will be tested by the Deacs. Wake Forest is fifth in the land holding opponents to just 24 percent from outside.

Al-Farouq Aminu leads the way averaging a double-double per game. The sophomore scores 16 and grabs 11 per contest.

Ishmael Smith averages 11 points with five and half assists. The senior point guard has an assist to turnover ratio better than two to one.

C.J. Harris and L.D. Williams combine for 20 points per outing. Chas McFarland gets six points and six boards night to night.

Xavier will need to establish their ability to score in the paint. Love will be challenged. His jump hook has been unstoppable up until now. How successful will he be against the 7’0″ McFarland? Aminu and Crawford should be an elite match-up. Aminu has shown the ability to defend premier players. He held his ground against Purdue’s Robbie Hummel. Crawford will need to step up to the challenge.

Holloway versus Smith could decide the game. Which point guard can go the longest without foul trouble?

Redford has bailed out the Muskies with his ability to knock down threes. The sophomore might not get any open looks against the Deacs. He will need to adjust and use his upfake to get penetration for open shots.

Both teams have deep benches. Gaudio has nine guys getting more than 10 minutes every night. Mack has eight guys averaging 10 or more with Andrew Taylor playing eight minutes a game.

Resolution: Xavier holds an advantage from the free throw line finishing 68 percent to Wake’s 65 percent. The Deacs have been to the line 298 times. Xavier has made 296 trips to the stripe. The big difference is Holloway finishes 88 percent from the line while Smith finishes 38 percent of his free throws. Holloway has been to the line 44 times. Smith has been to the line 31 times. Xavier pulls out a close one with the difference coming at the line.

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Photo by REUTERS/Brian Snyder

By Paul Gotham

Setting: SEC meets Atlantic 10 at the Cintas Center on the campus of Xavier University when Trent Johnson’s LSU Tigers (8-3) lock horns with Chris Mack’s Xavier Musketeers (7-4).

Plot: Both teams will look to shrug off any possible holiday hangover. Xavier last played on December 23rd (a 70-67 victory over Miami of Ohio). LSU lost in overtime to Washington St., 72-70 on December 22nd.

Sub-plots: After a season where both of these teams won their respective conferences, LSU and Xavier each need to prove themselves.  LSU is looking up at a revived Kentucky program while Mississippi State and Ole Miss have also improved. Xavier will need to knock off Temple and Dayton to win their fourth consecutive A-10 title.

Flashback: Derrick Brown dropped 22, BJ Raymond 21, and Kenny Frease scored 12 off the bench as the Musketeers won at Pete Maravich Assembly Center last season, 70-60. Xavier leads the all time series 2-1.

Foreshadowing: LSU and Xavier are well represented in the NBA. The Musketeers have sent 16 players to the pros including current players Derrick Brown, James Posey and David West. 31 The Tigers have graduated 31 to the pros. Shaquille O’Neal, Brandon Bass, Glen Davis, Anthony Randolph, Tyrus Thomas, and Marcus Thornton currently earn paychecks in the NBA.

Conflict: Xavier is 7-0 this season when scoring 70 or more points. LSU has allowed opponents to score 70 or more just three times. All those resulted in losses – Arizona State, U Conn, and Washington State.

At 6’9″, Xavier’s Jason Love will be the tallest starter on the floor. The senior averages 9.9 boards including a pair of 19 rebound performances against Marquette and Cincinnati. LSU counters in the front court with Tasmin Mitchell (6’7″) and Storm Warren (6’7″). Mitchell and Warren combine for 20 rebounds per game.  Love averages 10 points.  Mitchell and Warren score 31 points.

While Xavier goes with their four-guard lineup, Dante Jackson will draw one of the inside assignments. Mitchell and Warren will need to keep Love in check. Love has established a jump hook this season, and with his size advantage, he should be able to use it as long as he stays out of foul trouble. Jackson will force one of LSU’s post players outside. Jackson has dropped 43 per cent from behind the arc.

Chris Mack won’t hesitate to go to his bench where he can turn to Kenny Frease (7’0″) and Jamel McLean (6’8″). Johnson has a pair of 6’10″ towers to use – Dennis Harris and Garrett Green.

Harris and Green combine for six points and five rebounds per game.

Frease averages six points and 4.5 boards per game.

Chris Bass leads the SEC in assist to turnover ratio. The sophomore has 42 assists and just 13 turnovers this season.

Terrell Holloway leads the A-10 with a three to one assist to turnover ratio.

Bo Spencer averages 16.6 points for the Tigers. Mark Lyons has earned a starting spot for the Musketeers.

The difference in the game will come down to bench play. Besides Frease and McLean, Mack can go to Jordan Crwaford, Brad Redford, and Andrew Taylor off the bench.

Crawford will create match-up problems for the Tigers. The sophomore guard has scored 20 points five or more times and leads the Muskies with 18.5 points. Consisitency is the challenge for Crawford who tends to force too many plays.

Redford leads the A-10 in three-point percentage. The sophomore has connected on 22 of 43 attempts including 4 of 5 against Kansas State.

Both teams connect 67 per cent of the time from the free throw line. The Muskies have made 37 more trips to the stripe. LSU is 51-171 from the three-point arc while Xavier is 82-190 from long range. Xavier has taken 19 fewer trifecta attempts than their opponents while making nine more than their adversaries from long range.

Resolution: Xavier’s bench will prove their strength. After a pair of sluggish games while recovering from the death of his father, McLean grabbed nine rebounds against Miami of Ohio. The junior has risen to the occasion in the past, and tonight will be no different.